Midday Guest Chapter 16

“What are you doing?”

“The door won’t budge. It seems completely stuck in the frame…”

Clatter, the door shook noisily. Meanwhile, a sedan with a siren placed on top stopped by the roadside and the door opened hurriedly. A detective, who had been mobilized after receiving a call during the chaos, ran over while waving his hand.

“Ah, for goodness’ sake. What are you doing, damaging the scene like this?”

“We can at least close the door. All the village people are watching.”

“Step back for a moment.”

The detective, with his face heavily scrunched, took photos of the scene. The red rope tied to the rafter, the small stool overturned beneath it, and even the shoes taken off neatly.

“Clean up the scene and let’s see each other at the station for a moment.”

“Yes, detective.”

Flashes lit up the darkened street in continuous bursts.

“Do not cross the police line.”

“You there, resident, you must not take photos.”

“Please step back one step at a time.”

Just then, Shin Heeyoung’s phone ringtone echoed loudly.

“Hey, it’s a call from my mom.”

“Okay.”

Against the backdrop of Shin Heeyoung’s voice asking for Yiwon’s understanding, someone entered Yiwon’s field of vision. Among the crowd of people peering at the mill from beyond the police line, Cha Seokjoo was standing vacantly.

Why is that man here…

“Yiwon.”

“… .”

“Hey, Jung Yiwon.”

“…Huh?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Let’s go. My mom heard the news and is making a fuss for me to get home quickly.”

Cha Seokjoo stood leaning on a black long umbrella, wearing a suit that did not match Yonggung-ri. Their eyes met across the police line.

In the meantime, Shin Heeyoung’s phone rang again.

“…Ah, it’s a mess. Yes, Mom. I’m on my way now.”

Having finished the call, Shin Heeyoung tilted his head. Shin Heeyoung’s pace grew faster and faster, but conversely, Yiwon’s grew slower. Shin Heeyoung, finding this behavior strange, asked.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“…Wait a second. I think I dropped something.”

“What?”

“Go on ahead. Your mother and father are waiting.”

“I can go with you and then head back.”

“They’ll worry. And you said you’re leaving tomorrow morning. It’s better to show your face for even one more minute.”

“Ah, why go that far…”

Shin Heeyoung’s words trailed off. It was as if he understood what the solitary Yiwon was weighing. Scratching the back of his head vigorously, he nodded.

“I’ll be in touch.”

“Me too.”

Shin Heeyoung, moving with long strides, turned back to Yiwon and spoke.

“Hey, go straight inside. Got it?”

“Got it, go safely.”

“Yeah.”

As Shin Heeyoung disappeared with a fast pace, Cha Seokjoo used that gap to approach Yiwon.

“Why is a little kid wandering around late at night.”

Cha Seokjoo looked the same as usual. From his voice, which sounded like he was teasing but also wasn’t, to that characteristic relaxed smile.

“I went to the bathhouse and ran into a friend by chance.”

“That guy from earlier?”

“Yes.”

“But why didn’t you go with him?”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m asking why you’re standing around here like this.”

“… .”

He couldn’t open his mouth because there were no words to answer the question. It was because the moment he spotted Cha Seokjoo, he moved without much thought simply because he felt he had to.

“I was planning to go.”

“Go home early.”

The man continued speaking while pushing Yiwon’s back toward Haeundang.

“It’s dangerous here, so don’t even come near.”

It felt like being chased away. He turned his head and looked up at Cha Seokjoo. It wasn’t easy to read the atmosphere because the downward gaze was covered in shadows.

“What about you?”

“Me?”

“Aren’t you going in?”

“I told you I had work.”

“…Ah.”

Only then did the story from the morning come to mind. Did he say he would be late today? No, did he say he wouldn’t be coming in? He had even explained it to Shin Heeyoung just a moment ago.

“Strange.”

Cha Seokjoo watched Yiwon with a peculiar face.

“One moment it seems like you’re scared, but in another way, it seems like you’re not. I truly can’t tell.”

Cha Seokjoo spoke while tapping the floor with his long umbrella. It was difficult to understand what he meant since the subject was omitted, but he soon accepted it. Yiwon didn’t know why he was acting like this either.

“There’s no way that’s the case, but.”

“… .”

“Baby, did you wait for me by any chance?”

In an instant, he felt as if water had been poured over his shoulders. Was it because it was humid after the rain? It felt as if his whole body had become soaked.

“…I just happened to run into you while passing by.”

Technically that was true, it was, but his throat felt dry and scratchy, and because of that, his voice came out a bit rough.

“Aha.”

Cha Seokjoo accepted it lightly and didn’t say anything in particular.

Time flowed slowly while they held eye contact.

Vrrr, a phone vibration rang from Cha Seokjoo’s pocket. He took it out for a moment, looked at it, then put it back without answering. It was quiet. Somehow, it felt like he might have turned it to silent.

He was about to bow and walk away, but Cha Seokjoo stood with his legs wide apart, blocking Yiwon’s path. It was a body so large it made one think someone had ripped off a door and stood it up in the street.

Yiwon moved to the opposite side. Then, Cha Seokjoo blocked the same direction. Looking up at the incomprehensible behavior, he saw the man tilt his head toward the direction of Haeundang.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you back.”

“You said you had work.”

“I have time to take a baby back.”

As Yiwon stood still, Cha Seokjoo grabbed his wrist to make him move. Because the rough feeling was unfamiliar, he looked down to see the hand with burn scars pulling Yiwon along.

“Excuse me.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m not a baby.”

“I know.”

He felt like a complete stranger. Even though Yiwon knew the road from downtown Yonggung-ri to Haeundang better, seeing Cha Seokjoo walking in the lead.

“Then why do you keep calling me that?”

“What does it matter what I call you. You just need to keep your mouth shut and follow quietly.”

The grip tightening around his wrist grew larger in an instant.

They walked straight toward Haeundang like that. Throughout the walk on the dark night road, the thought that it was dangerous did not occur to him. He only thought that his tolerance for alcohol seemed to have weakened a lot.

It was immediately after they left the main road crossing the downtown area and turned the corner. A three-story building that sat vacant. The sound of leather shoes flowed out from the dark place where the lights didn’t even work properly.

Since it was a spot quite far from the central commercial district, it was a building that had been practically abandoned for over several years. That meant it had also been over several years since people had been coming and going.

Who is it?

Yiwon wanted to let the other party pass first, but since Cha Seokjoo didn’t stop walking, he was dragged along. He glared at the entrance, prepared to shake off Cha Seokjoo and bolt if necessary.

Thump, thump, red lights were visible in the darkness and people revealed themselves. The gravelly voices echoing under the streetlight were somehow familiar.

“Is something the matter, why aren’t you answering the phone… Gosh, you startled me.”

Oh Taesik, who had come down the stairs, clutched his chest while looking at Cha Seokjoo. Ma Haeyoung was also with him. Only then did Yiwon relax his tension. Simultaneously, the hand that had been wrapped around his wrist slowly fell away.

“Are you on your way back from somewhere? We were just in the middle of trying to contact you for a long time.”

“The cleanup.”

“We’re in the middle of finishing up.”

Oh Taesik reported something to Cha Seokjoo while his back was turned to Yiwon. When Yiwon tried to move away discreetly, Cha Seokjoo spoke shortly as if giving a warning.

“Wait a moment.”

“…Yes.”

Yiwon watched from a step away as the bulky men exchanged words with Cha Seokjoo. Before he knew it, Cha Seokjoo had returned to the sharp and difficult-to-approach face he had when Yiwon first saw him at Haeundang.

Taking the gap while the people’s attention was directed elsewhere, Yiwon turned his body around.

At the end of the road crossing the downtown area, the yellow police line wrapped around the street trees and the warning lights of the police car parked in front of it were lighting up the darkness.

Yiwon stood vacantly, staring at that place which felt both close and far. A few village people still held their spots, peering into the scene of the incident.

Watching that sight, the image of Cha Seokjoo, who had been in that same spot until a moment ago, came to mind.

He didn’t seem like the type of person who would be interested in gossip. Why was he peering into the mill?

Yiwon turned his head in the direction where Cha Seokjoo was. Cha Seokjoo was having a conversation with his staff under the streetlight.

Suddenly, a voice buzzed in his ears.

‘The cleanup.’

Cleanup?

What kind of cleanup was he talking about?

Around the time he was ruminating on the short conversation he had overheard, a police car brushed past with the sound of a siren.

In that moment, his senses snapped back.

It seems the psychological distance with the long-term guest has somehow become excessively close. The common enemy named Kim Sunwoo played a big role, and there seemed to be a tendency where he unconsciously became conscious of Cha Seokjoo due to Shin Heeyoung’s instigating words.

He should draw a line now. To avoid getting soaked in useless idle thoughts, he should treat him with a proper sense of distance just like he treats other guests.

Yiwon closed and opened his eyes, cutting off the thoughts that were following one after another.

“Then, what about this side.”

Ma Haeyoung spoke with an expressionless face. Yiwon, referred to as “this side,” opened his lips with a calm tone.

“Everyone seems busy, so I’ll head inside first.”

Ma Haeyoung nodded his head while listening to Yiwon’s words. The end of the sentence about finishing up well and returning to Haeundang faltered because his eyes met Cha Seokjoo’s, who was watching Yiwon.

“Go on in.”